The sight of two powerhouses capable of decimating all those fighting around them is impressive to say the least.

D walks right between the two of them without even flinching.

"All very impressive, gentlemen. Now, if you're done bickering, I think we have something to discuss before we're all ripped asunder in the most painful way imaginable. As if there were any other way to be ripped asunder."

From a safe distance from that fight, right smack in the middle of his own, Hawkes looks at what's happening.

"It's finally happened. He's lost his mind."

__________________
I don't care about your deathmatches. Don't even ask. I'll just report it as spam.

The sight of two powerhouses capable of decimating all those fighting around them is impressive to say the least.

D walks right between the two of them without even flinching.

"All very impressive, gentlemen. Now, if you're done bickering, I think we have something to discuss before we're all ripped asunder in the most painful way imaginable. As if there were any other way to be ripped asunder."

From a safe distance from that fight, right smack in the middle of his own, Hawkes looks at what's happening.

"It's finally happened. He's lost his mind."

Icon and Piston both paused as the regarded the portly man who had stepped between them.

"Who are you? And what are you talking about?" Icon asks, unable to mask the disbelief in his voice.

"This contains...well, this is STRIKE, in essence. Everything Director Alexander has planned. Projects which include, but are not limited to, the genocide of all metas. And another little pet project of Alex's called Endgame which is a creature of unimaginable power with little on its mind than death and destruction and, if my old friend sticks to his schedule, is almost certainly on its way here now?"

"And since I know you can't read what's on a flash drive by just us standing here," D slowly reaches into his jacket pocket, "I'll provide this hand printout."

__________________
I don't care about your deathmatches. Don't even ask. I'll just report it as spam.

"This contains...well, this is STRIKE, in essence. Everything Director Alexander has planned. Projects which include, but are not limited to, the genocide of all metas. And another little pet project of Alex's called Endgame which is a creature of unimaginable power with little on its mind than death and destruction and, if my old friend sticks to his schedule, is almost certainly on its way here now?"

"And since I know you can't read what's on a flash drive by just us standing here," D slowly reaches into his jacket pocket, "I'll provide this hand printout."

Icon took the printout and began flipping through the pages when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't bother." Piston says as he takes the flash drive from the fat man and plugs it into a port on his wrist.

Within moments, the information is downloaded into the suit, and Piston is able to verify that everything that D had said was true.

"He's...he's telling the truth." he said, the tone in his voice softening. He then hit a button on on his wrist console, and within an instant was tuned into local news feeds as well as police radio frequencies. The computer processor built into the suit had been designed to search out keywords and isolate anything that might be relevant to what Piston is searching for. It didn't take him long to find what he needed.

"There've been reports of a monster on Route 23 just north of Lake Wassookeag. If we leave now, we might be able to cut it off." Piston said as he started to walk away intent on stopping the monster which had been dubbed "Endgame" by his creators. However, a powerful hand gripped him by the shoulder, stopping him.

"No, you stay here. I should be able to take care of it on my own, but if not...we'll need another line of defense here." Icon said.

Piston reluctantly agreed, and stepped aside as Icon took to the skies on his way to head off the monster.

Peter Morris sat alone in his living room in Dexter Maine, waiting for his teenage daughter to get home from a day with her friends. He agonized over how he would confront her about what he had found in her room. He wanted to know where she had gotten it from, how often she uses it, and most of all, he wanted to know when did his sweet little princess began to grow up. He fingered the small bag filled with a leafy green substance and he felt his blood pressure rising.

He forced himself to calm down. He didn't switch jobs, leave his friends and family in Pacific Point only to move all the way across the country, only to have a coronary here. He took a deep breath, then reached over for his glass of water, taking a long gulp. He reminded himself that it wasn't entirely her fault. After her mother died, he packed up everything they owned and shuttled her across the country to this backwater little town. She hated it here, and she hated him for forcing her to move here. And he understood, he was miserable in this town. He missed the ocean breeze and the Southern California lifestyle. But he just had to make a change after his wife died, he couldn't bear the constant reminders of their life together. And every time he drove past the intersection where her car had been hit, he died alittle inside.

So he said goodbye to his friends and family, and moved with his daughter Jenna. He had been tempted to go back, but he had a good job in Dexter, that and his sheer stubborness alone kept him in a town that he hated. As the screen door opened and she sauntered into the house, his anger had all bud subsided. In fact, he felt foolish and maybe alittle ashamed for being so angry. He would still talk with her, and he would punish her. But he wouldn't yell, and he wouldn't scream. He's done too much of that lately. They both have.

"Jenna? Is that you?" He called out, and instantly felt foolish. Who else would it be? He thought to himself.

"Yeah Dad, it's me." She called from the kitchen.

"Could you come in here for a minute?" He called, suddenly his courage starting to wane.

Jenna didn't respond. Instead she simply came into the living room and sat down on the couch across from her father, looking somewhat impatiently for him to say whatever it is he was going to say so she could go to her room and do whatever it was she was going to do in there. He sat there for a moment, not knowing how to broach the subject of what he had found on her dresser, but he opened his mouth and began to say something, then immediately stopped, before starting again.

"Jenna..." He started to say before being cut off by a series of loud noises, which sounded a lot like massive footsteps. He paused for a moment and listened, and noticed that Jenna was listening as well. Then he looked to his glass of water, and noticed that the liquid was rippling in sync with the thunderous sounds.

"Dad?" Jenna said, fear filling her voice.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash and an explosion of wood and plaster as Peter's Ford pickup truck came crashing through the back side of the house, coming to a stop just outside of the living room. Peter and Jenna both sat there staring in utter disbelief at the wrecked truck laying on its side in the house. Then, without saying anything, they both got up and ran to the front window, getting it open and escaping out of it just as the creature roared into the house, and rushed through it, emerging through the other side.

Jenna and Peter hid in the bushes at the corner of the yard, watching in terror as their home fell down around the beast. The beast looked around the area, almost as if searching out something else to destroy, when Jenna gave in to her fear and was unable to suppress a whimper. Peter looked on in horror as the creature's head whipped around and it looked directly at them, something that could pass for a smile crossed its hideous face, and it took a step toward them.

Fearing for his daughter, Peter ran from the bush that they were hiding in, shouting at the monster, cursing the beast for destroying his home. The creature looked at him and grunted as it stepped toward him. Peter felt the urge to run, but his legs wouldn't seem to work. He was frozen in fear. Finally, he was able to take several steps back, but the creature reached out and grabbed him by the head, nearly twisting his head off, and then simply tossed his body aside.

Jenna cried out as she watched her father's body hit the ground, and as she did so, the creature turned to face her, and began to approach her with murderous intent.

Then it stopped suddenly, something else had seemingly gotten the creature's attention. The monster looked to the sky as it trying to determine what it was seeing streaking towards it. The creature grunted in curiosity just as a blue and silver streak swooped down from the sky and rammed it, sending the beast crashing into the ruins of the house.

Jenna looked on in amazement as Icon stood there in her front yard, his hands clinched into fists, waiting for the monster to emerge from the rubble.

"Get out of here! I'll cover you while you get away." He ordered, and she did as he said. Even as the creature pulled himself from the ruins of the house, Jenna sprinted away down the road, trying to put as much distance between her and that monster as humanly possible.

On the outskirts of Lost Haven behind the Iron Gates lies a mansion belonging to one of the most powerful men in the world: Adam Phoenix.

Adam sits in a theater with several video monitors showing Eve in action.

Adam is starting and stopping the videos and zooming in and out on them. Studying the videos as though he were an athlete studying an opponent.

There is a knock at the door and Adam says in a low gravely voice, "Enter."

Adam's butler Colter enters and says, "Excuse me sir but it is time for your treatments."

Adam replies, "Thank you Colter I'll be down there in about 10 minutes. Please make sure that all is ready for my arrival so we can get this over with as soon as possible. Then make sure my dinner is ready along with my stock reports on my electronic tablet for after my treatments."

Colter bows and says, "Of course sir."

He exits the room and Adam stares at the monitors and beings to smile. Not a smile of joy or contentment, but a smile of evil as someone who has just realized they have found their prey.

Adam says stroking his chin, "So Deacon Hawk and Brother Paul have finally got their Cyborg up and running. Interesting."

He stands up revealing a man to be over 8 foot tall and over 500 Pounds all of it muscle.

Adam turns off the monitors and says, "Pity I'm going to have to tear her apart limb by limb and sell her Neural Net to the highest bidder. Pity."

__________________
Know yourself & your enemy & you need not fear the outcome of a thousand battles-- General Sun-Tzu

Peter Morris sat alone in his living room in Dexter Maine, waiting for his teenage daughter to get home from a day with her friends. He agonized over how he would confront her about what he had found in her room. He wanted to know where she had gotten it from, how often she uses it, and most of all, he wanted to know when did his sweet little princess began to grow up. He fingered the small bag filled with a leafy green substance and he felt his blood pressure rising.

He forced himself to calm down. He didn't switch jobs, leave his friends and family in Pacific Point only to move all the way across the country, only to have a coronary here. He took a deep breath, then reached over for his glass of water, taking a long gulp. He reminded himself that it wasn't entirely her fault. After her mother died, he packed up everything they owned and shuttled her across the country to this backwater little town. She hated it here, and she hated him for forcing her to move here. And he understood, he was miserable in this town. He missed the ocean breeze and the Southern California lifestyle. But he just had to make a change after his wife died, he couldn't bear the constant reminders of their life together. And every time he drove past the intersection where her car had been hit, he died alittle inside.

So he said goodbye to his friends and family, and moved with his daughter Jenna. He had been tempted to go back, but he had a good job in Dexter, that and his sheer stubborness alone kept him in a town that he hated. As the screen door opened and she sauntered into the house, his anger had all bud subsided. In fact, he felt foolish and maybe alittle ashamed for being so angry. He would still talk with her, and he would punish her. But he wouldn't yell, and he wouldn't scream. He's done too much of that lately. They both have.

"Jenna? Is that you?" He called out, and instantly felt foolish. Who else would it be? He thought to himself.

"Yeah Dad, it's me." She called from the kitchen.

"Could you come in here for a minute?" He called, suddenly his courage starting to wane.

Jenna didn't respond. Instead she simply came into the living room and sat down on the couch across from her father, looking somewhat impatiently for him to say whatever it is he was going to say so she could go to her room and do whatever it was she was going to do in there. He sat there for a moment, not knowing how to broach the subject of what he had found on her dresser, but he opened his mouth and began to say something, then immediately stopped, before starting again.

"Jenna..." He started to say before being cut off by a series of loud noises, which sounded a lot like massive footsteps. He paused for a moment and listened, and noticed that Jenna was listening as well. Then he looked to his glass of water, and noticed that the liquid was rippling in sync with the thunderous sounds.

"Dad?" Jenna said, fear filling her voice.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash and an explosion of wood and plaster as Peter's Ford pickup truck came crashing through the back side of the house, coming to a stop just outside of the living room. Peter and Jenna both sat there staring in utter disbelief at the wrecked truck laying on its side in the house. Then, without saying anything, they both got up and ran to the front window, getting it open and escaping out of it just as the creature roared into the house, and rushed through it, emerging through the other side.

Jenna and Peter hid in the bushes at the corner of the yard, watching in terror as their home fell down around the beast. The beast looked around the area, almost as if searching out something else to destroy, when Jenna gave in to her fear and was unable to suppress a whimper. Peter looked on in horror as the creature's head whipped around and it looked directly at them, something that could pass for a smile crossed its hideous face, and it took a step toward them.

Fearing for his daughter, Peter ran from the bush that they were hiding in, shouting at the monster, cursing the beast for destroying his home. The creature looked at him and grunted as it stepped toward him. Peter felt the urge to run, but his legs wouldn't seem to work. He was frozen in fear. Finally, he was able to take several steps back, but the creature reached out and grabbed him by the head, nearly twisting his head off, and then simply tossed his body aside.

Jenna cried out as she watched her father's body hit the ground, and as she did so, the creature turned to face her, and began to approach her with murderous intent.

Then it stopped suddenly, something else had seemingly gotten the creature's attention. The monster looked to the sky as it trying to determine what it was seeing streaking towards it. The creature grunted in curiosity just as a blue and silver streak swooped down from the sky and rammed it, sending the beast crashing into the ruins of the house.

Jenna looked on in amazement as Icon stood there in her front yard, his hands clinched into fists, waiting for the monster to emerge from the rubble.

"Get out of here! I'll cover you while you get away." He ordered, and she did as he said. Even as the creature pulled himself from the ruins of the house, Jenna sprinted away down the road, trying to put as much distance between her and that monster as humanly possible.

The creature looked to Icon with a sense of bewilderment as he pulled himself from the ruins of the house. Never before had he met something that could pose any threat to him, yet this flying man in the colorful costume had done just that. Once on his feet, the creature rushed at Icon, moving so fast that to the hero, the creature almost seemed to have disappeared before reappearing right in front of him, hitting him with a punch that sounded like thunder as it made contact. Icon flew backward from the force of the punch, hitting the ground with a thud. He had barely hit the ground before the creature was on top of him, pounding his head into the earth.

With the creature on top of him, Icon struggled to get free. Finally, he was able to get his arm free and struck the creature in the face, knocking it off of him.

This thing is as strong as me, maybe even stronger. And I haven't seen anyone move that fast since the Blue Blur. He thought to himself as the beast rebounded at him. The creature lunged at Icon, who was able to side step the creature and hit him with thunderous right and left handed punches which had little effect on the monster. The creature took each punch in stride, and fired back with shots of his own. Icon was staggered by the attack, taking several steps back in an attempt to put some space between himself and the creature. However, the beast grabbed him by the neck, lifting him up in the air, and then threw him like a Major League pitcher throwing a baseball, into the trunk of a massive oak tree.

There was a loud crack which sounded as if someone had fired a cannon as the tree exploded as Icon impacted it. Icon lay in the splinted remains of the massive oak tree looking up at the hideous beast as it stood over him, snarling as it stepped ever closer to him. Then the creature stopped advancing on him...and grinned.

Nice to know but I'm part human still...that hurt. Although there is something about this guy. He's got all this power and yet he held back...something to keep in mind. Need to buy sometime and maybe get in his head.

Eve shake her head slowly and says, "Still here. Gonna have to do better than that."

With that Eve shape-shifts right in front of The Living Black Hole and says using his voice, "Two can play this game!"

Holy hell that is pretty damn freaky! The shapeshifting, the using my own visage, thats so god damned weird. She's using my face, MY face. My voice. If you could see my face than you'd see the 'Oh my god what the ****?' expression plastered on my face. Knowing there's freaks out there or not, metas, whatever you do indeed want to call them, its still so disturbing seeing someone else with your appearance. And she is still standing, still in the way.

With more thought of outright harm than specifically taking someone down I ball my fist, if I were normal I'd be white knuckled, I move fast, faster than the average human but not like Blue Blur fast, Im not even sure I can actually go that fast. For sure once done here Im going to have to try. I have my fist balled, I stand before her who is now in my shape, and I deliver a hard clenched fist into 'my' ribs. And I do it two or three more times before she throws me off in a way that forces me to land on my ass. That was embarrasing. Ive been trained to take people down by was just put on my ass by some shaeshifter wearing my face. I get back to my feet and take a more battle ready stance.

The creature looked to Icon with a sense of bewilderment as he pulled himself from the ruins of the house. Never before had he met something that could pose any threat to him, yet this flying man in the colorful costume had done just that. Once on his feet, the creature rushed at Icon, moving so fast that to the hero, the creature almost seemed to have disappeared before reappearing right in front of him, hitting him with a punch that sounded like thunder as it made contact. Icon flew backward from the force of the punch, hitting the ground with a thud. He had barely hit the ground before the creature was on top of him, pounding his head into the earth.

With the creature on top of him, Icon struggled to get free. Finally, he was able to get his arm free and struck the creature in the face, knocking it off of him.

This thing is as strong as me, maybe even stronger. And I haven't seen anyone move that fast since the Blue Blur. He thought to himself as the beast rebounded at him. The creature lunged at Icon, who was able to side step the creature and hit him with thunderous right and left handed punches which had little effect on the monster. The creature took each punch in stride, and fired back with shots of his own. Icon was staggered by the attack, taking several steps back in an attempt to put some space between himself and the creature. However, the beast grabbed him by the neck, lifting him up in the air, and then threw him like a Major League pitcher throwing a baseball, into the trunk of a massive oak tree.

There was a loud crack which sounded as if someone had fired a cannon as the tree exploded as Icon impacted it. Icon lay in the splinted remains of the massive oak tree looking up at the hideous beast as it stood over him, snarling as it stepped ever closer to him. Then the creature stopped advancing on him...and grinned.

Then without notice, if bounded away continuing it's eastward trek.

Finding Endgame wasn't hard at all. All Icon had to do was follow the bath of destruction. A trail of debris that ran from the home in Dexter all the way through the decimated city of Bangor. If Icon could say anything, it is that Endgame was fast and efficient. A sick feeling began to creep into his stomach as he spotted smoke on the horizon. For the most part, Endgame had already gone through the most densely populated areas. Aside from some smaller towns, the beast wouldn't encounter any urban centers until he reached Lost Haven and her suburbs. The thought of what would happen should Endgame be allowed to reach Lost Haven sent Icon into a bit of a panic. The hero lowered his head and accelerated toward the rising plume of smoke.

***

In the small town of Otis Maine, the creature called Endgame had decimated the main downtown area. There were overturned vehicles and burning buildings everywhere you looked. Fortunately, most of the towns 550 residents were not in the downtown area at the time, many of them working in the areas surrounding the town itself. But for those who were in the downtown area, their sleepy little town had become the scene of a nightmare come to life. Endgame marched through the two lane main street, roaring as he tossed cars aside as he went. The bodies of those unfortunate enough to catch his eye lay scattered about in the street. Like an apex predator, Endgame stalked the main strip searching for his next victim, when suddenly movement in the sky overhead got his attention.

Icon looked down at the destruction in the small town and felt a surge of anger wash over him. In his time as a superhero, he had come up against all sorts of beings all capable of mass destruction, however he had never come up against anything like this Endgame creature. Nothing he has ever faced as seemingly lived for the kill the way this monstrosity did. Icon banked hard and began his descent to the street, coming in like a rocket he hit the beast like a supersonic battering ram, sending Endgame crashing head over heels through the front window of the town's hardware store. Icon followed the creature into the store, battering him as fought through the store. The creature tried to get away from his assailant, but Icon continued laying into him, finally grabbing him and hurling him through the back of the store.

Back in the street, Icon pressed his advantage. As Icon faced off against the behemoth, he continued pounding the creature with blows whose impact could have caved in a mountain, yet seemed to have little effect on the creature. Finally, Icon struck the beast with a knee to the gut which bent Endgame over, then followed it up with a double axe-handle to the back of the head, sending the creature crashing face first into the pavement. With Endgame down, Icon pressed the assault, hitting him with a battery of punches and kicks that would put nearly any foe down for the count. Yet, somehow Endgame managed to get up on one knee. Icon moved in for another round of assaults, however, a massive jolt of energy blasted out from Endgame's eyes, sending Icon flying backward, where he landed over half a block away.

Icon lay motionless in the street for a moment, his body still smoking from the massive energy blast that the creature had just unleashed on him. I've got to get him out of here before he can do any more damage. Icon thought to himself even as the creature raced toward him. As Endgame closes in on him, Icon launches himself at the beast, laying his shoulder into the creature's midsection. He wrapped his arms around Endgame and propelled himself skyward, taking the best with him away from the town of Otis.

Endgame struggled to free himself from Icon's grip as the two combatants soar through the skies over Maine, however Icon is able to keep his hold on the murderous beast.

Got to hold on, just a few more seconds...Icon thought to himself as he reestablished his grip on the beast, then suddenly changed their course directing them toward a large nature reserve.

"Hold still damn you..."Icon said as he struggled to maintain his grip on the squirming beast.

With that, Icon lowered his head and dove earthward, driving both himself and the Endgame creature into the reserve with the force of a small asteroid. The impact was enough to flatten trees in the immediate area, and the ensuing explosion was heard for miles around.

Which is always kind of unnerving. Funny that... How worrying the sound of gunfire can be, yet how unsettling it can be when it stops abruptly. I think it's because we imagine forces acting against each other... And what force can be powerful enough to counter the gunfire? I don't know. It's just a theory. Maybe I've gone crazy from being exposed to it all too much. Who could claim to be sane while doing the things I do?

I'm leaning up against a car, whilst Gunny's door lies on the roof. He looks kind of funny really balancing up there. But if we put the flat door on the concrete we wouldn't be able to pick the bloody thing up again with his weight on it. Besides, one of the agents said there was an ambulance en route.

"That fat little bastard just wandered out of our building like we invited him to dinner." I say to Gunny who tilts his head back trying to see what I'm referring to.

"3 to 1 he knows something... A fat bugger like that, the last action he would have seen was when he grappled with the sofa after dropping a crumb behind it." In the distance we see him directing agents this way and that, before our attention is distracted as Gunny's "ambulance" arrived.

I say "ambulance" it was more like a big marked van... and if it was supposed to be an ambulance the never informed the guy who painted the logo and name on it. I was still in mid double-take at it's markings when the fat little bastard wandered over.

"A bass..."

"Hmm..?"

"Your ambulance has a sea bass painted on the side of it."

"It does..?" The man cocked his head to the side, unfazed by me in my black gear before finishing his thought "...no, it's a silver perch. Easy mistake to make though."

"Why?"

"Well, the sea bass tends to be fuller in the lips. And either darker or more colourful depending on it's breed. But your silver perch..."

"No. Why the hell do you have a fish on the side of your ambulance?"

I look at him and he gives me a blank 1,000 mile stare on his bloated face, like I'd asked him the stupidest question in the world. And it occurs to me that maybe it is the stupidest question to be asking him. As if I'd get a straight answer.

"Please... All things aside, a man in my position could hardly serve up the head of another Government agency by just telling someone like you where he is..."

The fat man stumbled. Regaining his feet and standing between myself and one of our surveillance cameras, a wry smile crossing his face as he gathered himself... I barely saw him reach into his pocket.

"But, for the sake of everyone I hope you somehow find what you're looking for."

He extends his hand and I shake it, the business card stiff in my gloved palm.

"I suppose you will. Since you'll be one short with that same blue tighted friend off cleaning up another of his messes somewhere else."

From the look on his face, I could see he was telling me I had no idea how far Anderson was gone. It was a huge risk to slip me the card, even in the circumstances. Maybe PARTICULARLY in the circumstances.

I thanked him for his assistance and bade Gunny farewell, before walking to the garage of Guardians HQ.

There'd be plenty of time for clean-up later, but first I'd have to get dirty again.

__________________
[/JOKE]

16,18, not much difference mentally or physically. It's a number over there. Here however it's the difference between mid life crisis with hot chicks with daddy issues and pound me in the ass prison. - Anubis

More Anubis' greatest hits:
"Families are Gods way of teaching us to get along with people we don't particularly like."

Last edited by Hound55; 03-17-2012 at 11:56 AM.
Reason: Had to check the font for D's dialogue

Holy hell that is pretty damn freaky! The shapeshifting, the using my own visage, thats so god damned weird. She's using my face, MY face. My voice. If you could see my face than you'd see the 'Oh my god what the ****?' expression plastered on my face. Knowing there's freaks out there or not, metas, whatever you do indeed want to call them, its still so disturbing seeing someone else with your appearance. And she is still standing, still in the way.

With more thought of outright harm than specifically taking someone down I ball my fist, if I were normal I'd be white knuckled, I move fast, faster than the average human but not like Blue Blur fast, Im not even sure I can actually go that fast. For sure once done here Im going to have to try. I have my fist balled, I stand before her who is now in my shape, and I deliver a hard clenched fist into 'my' ribs. And I do it two or three more times before she throws me off in a way that forces me to land on my ass. That was embarrasing. Ive been trained to take people down by was just put on my ass by some shaeshifter wearing my face. I get back to my feet and take a more battle ready stance.

"I don't play games."

Eve begins to smirk. Sadly though no one can tell but she is now doing this for her own satisfaction.

Eve looks at The Black Hole and says, "Neither do I. I have noticed something about you. You've got a grudge against the guardians and I don't know the full story behind it either."

She begins circling and says, "All that being said you are holding back. You are scared of yourself and that if you lose control you could injury innocent people."

Eve shapeshifts into various people in the crowd at a rapid rate and then settling back into the Black Hole and says, "You don't know the full extent of your power and if you do cut lose and use my power against me who knows what kind of damage you can do to them? Are they worth the risk? Can you handle innocent blood on your hands?"

__________________
Know yourself & your enemy & you need not fear the outcome of a thousand battles-- General Sun-Tzu

Finding Endgame wasn't hard at all. All Icon had to do was follow the bath of destruction. A trail of debris that ran from the home in Dexter all the way through the decimated city of Bangor. If Icon could say anything, it is that Endgame was fast and efficient. A sick feeling began to creep into his stomach as he spotted smoke on the horizon. For the most part, Endgame had already gone through the most densely populated areas. Aside from some smaller towns, the beast wouldn't encounter any urban centers until he reached Lost Haven and her suburbs. The thought of what would happen should Endgame be allowed to reach Lost Haven sent Icon into a bit of a panic. The hero lowered his head and accelerated toward the rising plume of smoke.

***

In the small town of Otis Maine, the creature called Endgame had decimated the main downtown area. There were overturned vehicles and burning buildings everywhere you looked. Fortunately, most of the towns 550 residents were not in the downtown area at the time, many of them working in the areas surrounding the town itself. But for those who were in the downtown area, their sleepy little town had become the scene of a nightmare come to life. Endgame marched through the two lane main street, roaring as he tossed cars aside as he went. The bodies of those unfortunate enough to catch his eye lay scattered about in the street. Like an apex predator, Endgame stalked the main strip searching for his next victim, when suddenly movement in the sky overhead got his attention.

Icon looked down at the destruction in the small town and felt a surge of anger wash over him. In his time as a superhero, he had come up against all sorts of beings all capable of mass destruction, however he had never come up against anything like this Endgame creature. Nothing he has ever faced as seemingly lived for the kill the way this monstrosity did. Icon banked hard and began his descent to the street, coming in like a rocket he hit the beast like a supersonic battering ram, sending Endgame crashing head over heels through the front window of the town's hardware store. Icon followed the creature into the store, battering him as fought through the store. The creature tried to get away from his assailant, but Icon continued laying into him, finally grabbing him and hurling him through the back of the store.

Back in the street, Icon pressed his advantage. As Icon faced off against the behemoth, he continued pounding the creature with blows whose impact could have caved in a mountain, yet seemed to have little effect on the creature. Finally, Icon struck the beast with a knee to the gut which bent Endgame over, then followed it up with a double axe-handle to the back of the head, sending the creature crashing face first into the pavement. With Endgame down, Icon pressed the assault, hitting him with a battery of punches and kicks that would put nearly any foe down for the count. Yet, somehow Endgame managed to get up on one knee. Icon moved in for another round of assaults, however, a massive jolt of energy blasted out from Endgame's eyes, sending Icon flying backward, where he landed over half a block away.

Icon lay motionless in the street for a moment, his body still smoking from the massive energy blast that the creature had just unleashed on him. I've got to get him out of here before he can do any more damage. Icon thought to himself even as the creature raced toward him. As Endgame closes in on him, Icon launches himself at the beast, laying his shoulder into the creature's midsection. He wrapped his arms around Endgame and propelled himself skyward, taking the best with him away from the town of Otis.

Endgame struggled to free himself from Icon's grip as the two combatants soar through the skies over Maine, however Icon is able to keep his hold on the murderous beast.

Got to hold on, just a few more seconds...Icon thought to himself as he reestablished his grip on the beast, then suddenly changed their course directing them toward a large nature reserve.

"Hold still damn you..."Icon said as he struggled to maintain his grip on the squirming beast.

With that, Icon lowered his head and dove earthward, driving both himself and the Endgame creature into the reserve with the force of a small asteroid. The impact was enough to flatten trees in the immediate area, and the ensuing explosion was heard for miles around.

The Frost Wildlife Preserve lay in ruins. Many of the large trees the made up much of the forest lay flattened due to the impact of Icon and the beast known as Endgame. What was once a lush area full of life of all varieties now resembled a barren wasteland devoid of any life at all. Suddenly, a slight movement could be detected from beneath the fallen trees as Icon dug his way out from beneath them.

With his cape tattered and his costume torn, Icon stood in place for a moment as he tried to get his bearings. He was unable to see Endgame anywhere in the destruction, but he knew better than to hope that the monster had been taken down so easily. He closed his eyes and began to use his radar sense to see if he could locate the creature, but any question of the creature's whereabouts were answered as the ground beneath Icon's feet exploded around him. As Endgame emerged from underneath Icon, he grabbed the hero by the throat and began pummeling him. Icon was able to block some of the blows, retaliating with hard shots of his own, charging the punches with kinetic energy blasts, which knocked Endgame off his feet.

Icon reached down and grabbed a large section of one of the tree trucks, and like a pro baseball player stepping up to bat, he swung. The shot connected, launching the creature into a nearby pond. Icon took a quick breather before advancing toward the pond. However, before he could get to the creature, Endgame emerged from the water, in his grasp a large boulder that had sat submerged beneath the waters of the pond for hundreds of years. Endgame hurled the massive stone, which caught icon be surprise. Then the beast was on top of the hero, throttling him in an attempted to squeeze the life out of his enemy.

Icon was able to kick the creature off of him and get to his feet. However, just as he lunged at the beast, Endgame clapped his hands together, and there was a blinding flash, and then the very ground beneath them turned in upheaval as a massive explosion rocked the area, leaving Icon laying amidst the destruction as Endgame continued on his journey toward Lost Haven.

The Frost Wildlife Preserve lay in ruins. Many of the large trees the made up much of the forest lay flattened due to the impact of Icon and the beast known as Endgame. What was once a lush area full of life of all varieties now resembled a barren wasteland devoid of any life at all. Suddenly, a slight movement could be detected from beneath the fallen trees as Icon dug his way out from beneath them.

With his cape tattered and his costume torn, Icon stood in place for a moment as he tried to get his bearings. He was unable to see Endgame anywhere in the destruction, but he knew better than to hope that the monster had been taken down so easily. He closed his eyes and began to use his radar sense to see if he could locate the creature, but any question of the creature's whereabouts were answered as the ground beneath Icon's feet exploded around him. As Endgame emerged from underneath Icon, he grabbed the hero by the throat and began pummeling him. Icon was able to block some of the blows, retaliating with hard shots of his own, charging the punches with kinetic energy blasts, which knocked Endgame off his feet.

Icon reached down and grabbed a large section of one of the tree trucks, and like a pro baseball player stepping up to bat, he swung. The shot connected, launching the creature into a nearby pond. Icon took a quick breather before advancing toward the pond. However, before he could get to the creature, Endgame emerged from the water, in his grasp a large boulder that had sat submerged beneath the waters of the pond for hundreds of years. Endgame hurled the massive stone, which caught icon be surprise. Then the beast was on top of the hero, throttling him in an attempted to squeeze the life out of his enemy.

Icon was able to kick the creature off of him and get to his feet. However, just as he lunged at the beast, Endgame clapped his hands together, and there was a blinding flash, and then the very ground beneath them turned in upheaval as a massive explosion rocked the area, leaving Icon laying amidst the destruction as Endgame continued on his journey toward Lost Haven.

Icon lay amidst the destruction within the Frost Wildlife Preserve, downed trees and burning embers all around him, he tried to get to his feet, only to find that his legs felt like spaghetti. Once up, he stumbled and found himself back down on one knee. As he took a moment to clear his head, he found himself surprised by the coppery taste of blood in his mouth...his own blood.

It had been a long time since he'd faced an adversary who had the ability to make him bleed. This creature seemed to be unstoppable. It was strong, powerful and motivated. So far, Icon had seemingly been unable to wear the monster down, and in a way the beast seemed to grow stronger the harder he fought. Icon on the other hand was getting worn down, and he knew that he had to end this fight soon, or face the possibility of not being able to finish it at all.

Finally, he was able to pull himself up. He looked around the area to find Endgame, and came to a chilling realization...the creature was gone. Icon dug down deep, gathering his wits about him and took to the skies in hot pursuit of the beast...Determined to stop the creature before it reached Lost Haven.

Icon lay amidst the destruction within the Frost Wildlife Preserve, downed trees and burning embers all around him, he tried to get to his feet, only to find that his legs felt like spaghetti. Once up, he stumbled and found himself back down on one knee. As he took a moment to clear his head, he found himself surprised by the coppery taste of blood in his mouth...his own blood.

It had been a long time since he'd faced an adversary who had the ability to make him bleed. This creature seemed to be unstoppable. It was strong, powerful and motivated. So far, Icon had seemingly been unable to wear the monster down, and in a way the beast seemed to grow stronger the harder he fought. Icon on the other hand was getting worn down, and he knew that he had to end this fight soon, or face the possibility of not being able to finish it at all.

Finally, he was able to pull himself up. He looked around the area to find Endgame, and came to a chilling realization...the creature was gone. Icon dug down deep, gathering his wits about him and took to the skies in hot pursuit of the beast...Determined to stop the creature before it reached Lost Haven.

The Lost Haven burrow of Carver was under siege. The creature known as Endgame tore through the ur0ban center like a hurricane, destroying anything and anyone and anything in his path. He rampaged toward Brady High School, which had served as a sort of emergency shelter since the creature had been spotted just outside the city limits.

The creature's rampage was halted for a moment as something overhead got his attention. The beast stared at the strange flying object in the sky, and watched as another appeared beside it. Then another.

In the air above the burrow, several news choppers made their way toward the creature, racing to capture images of the marauding beast for their employer, none fully grasping the danger that they were putting themselves into.

On the ground, Endgame watched as the strange objects raced toward him, and taking their approach as a challenge, prepared to take them on. He grabbed a lightpost, ripping it out of the ground and was about to hurl it in the direction of the oncoming choppers, when suddenly he was hit in the chest by something, or someone with the force of a speeding bus.

"I don't think so!"Icon said as he drove the creature into the ground.

Endgame roared in anger as he got to his feet, meeting Icon's advancement with a staggering punch that knocked the hero into the side of an abandoned car, knocking the vehicle onto its side. Icon pulled himself to his feet and went at the creature again, blocking a punch that Icon was almost sure that if it had connected, would have taken his head off, and hitting the murderous beast with a shot of his own.

As they battled in the street, Icon was suddenly aware that they were not alone. A small group had gathered on the sidewalk to watch the spectacle as they fought.

And he wasn't the only one to notice. Endgame glanced over at the small crowd and grunted as he attempted to move past Icon for the easier targets. The group of people began to shriek as the beast stepped toward them. However, he did not advance any further as Icon grabbed Endgame by the arm and hurled him into the side of a building. Icon then went over to a bus that sits idle on the street, lifting it up over his head, he threw it at the creature. The sound of the impact was sickening as metal and plastic collided with bone and masonry.

Icon looks over he shoulder and sees the familiar form of Mantis, the hero who has been defending this section of the city for just about as long as Icon has been a hero himself. He admired the masked hero, and was honestly disappointed when his invitation to join the Guardians was turned down.

"No, I can handle him. Just get those people to safety." Icon said as Endgame began to free himself from the wreckage of the bus.

He watched as the young hero herded that group of spectators out of danger, and not a moment too soon. No sooner had Mantis lead the group away from the fight, Endgame tossed what was left of the bus off of him, and angrily charged at Icon. The beast took a swing at the hero, who was able to duck under the punch and grabbing onto the creature and forcing him into a full nelson, he rocketed the both of them skyward.

Icon accelerated into the sky, intent on ending this fight now...the only way he could think of. The creature was too strong, too fast, and showed no signs of slowing down. Icon didn't think that he could beat the creature into submission, so he intended to take the creature beyond the boundaries of Earth's atmosphere, and send the creature into the vacuum of space, where it would never be able to hurt another living thing again.

However, before Icon could reach escape velocity, the creature was able to kick himself free of the hero's grip. Icon attempted to catch the beast before it escaped, but Endgame hit him with a hard shot that knocked him senseless, and both of them plummeted toward the city below.

The Lost Haven burrow of Carver was under siege. The creature known as Endgame tore through the ur0ban center like a hurricane, destroying anything and anyone and anything in his path. He rampaged toward Brady High School, which had served as a sort of emergency shelter since the creature had been spotted just outside the city limits.

The creature's rampage was halted for a moment as something overhead got his attention. The beast stared at the strange flying object in the sky, and watched as another appeared beside it. Then another.

In the air above the burrow, several news choppers made their way toward the creature, racing to capture images of the marauding beast for their employer, none fully grasping the danger that they were putting themselves into.

On the ground, Endgame watched as the strange objects raced toward him, and taking their approach as a challenge, prepared to take them on. He grabbed a lightpost, ripping it out of the ground and was about to hurl it in the direction of the oncoming choppers, when suddenly he was hit in the chest by something, or someone with the force of a speeding bus.

"I don't think so!"Icon said as he drove the creature into the ground.

Endgame roared in anger as he got to his feet, meeting Icon's advancement with a staggering punch that knocked the hero into the side of an abandoned car, knocking the vehicle onto its side. Icon pulled himself to his feet and went at the creature again, blocking a punch that Icon was almost sure that if it had connected, would have taken his head off, and hitting the murderous beast with a shot of his own.

As they battled in the street, Icon was suddenly aware that they were not alone. A small group had gathered on the sidewalk to watch the spectacle as they fought.

And he wasn't the only one to notice. Endgame glanced over at the small crowd and grunted as he attempted to move past Icon for the easier targets. The group of people began to shriek as the beast stepped toward them. However, he did not advance any further as Icon grabbed Endgame by the arm and hurled him into the side of a building. Icon then went over to a bus that sits idle on the street, lifting it up over his head, he threw it at the creature. The sound of the impact was sickening as metal and plastic collided with bone and masonry.

Icon looks over he shoulder and sees the familiar form of Mantis, the hero who has been defending this section of the city for just about as long as Icon has been a hero himself. He admired the masked hero, and was honestly disappointed when his invitation to join the Guardians was turned down.

"No, I can handle him. Just get those people to safety." Icon said as Endgame began to free himself from the wreckage of the bus.

He watched as the young hero herded that group of spectators out of danger, and not a moment too soon. No sooner had Mantis lead the group away from the fight, Endgame tossed what was left of the bus off of him, and angrily charged at Icon. The beast took a swing at the hero, who was able to duck under the punch and grabbing onto the creature and forcing him into a full nelson, he rocketed the both of them skyward.

Icon accelerated into the sky, intent on ending this fight now...the only way he could think of. The creature was too strong, too fast, and showed no signs of slowing down. Icon didn't think that he could beat the creature into submission, so he intended to take the creature beyond the boundaries of Earth's atmosphere, and send the creature into the vacuum of space, where it would never be able to hurt another living thing again.

However, before Icon could reach escape velocity, the creature was able to kick himself free of the hero's grip. Icon attempted to catch the beast before it escaped, but Endgame hit him with a hard shot that knocked him senseless, and both of them plummeted toward the city below.

Free from Icon, the creature Endgame found himself in a free-fall toward Lost Haven. As the creature fell, he adjusted his course slightly, and found himself on a collision course with Lost Haven's Central Island, the hub of daily life for the great metropolis. As the creature neared the ground, his descent began to slow, to the point where it was a gradual descent rather than an out of control free fall. However, before Endgame was able to land, Icon swooped in, ramming the beast's abdomen and wrapping his arms around it. With the creature in his grasp, Icon accelerated his speed while maintaining a low altitude, then he immediately pulled back, while letting go of the monster, sending the beast crashing hard into an abandoned warehouse.

The derelict building groaned with the force of the impact, finally heaving to once side and then collapsing on top of the monster. Icon did not hesitate, he made his way for the collapsed building hoping to keep the upper hand on the beast, however, as he landed near the rubble, there was an explosion of debris as Endgame forced his way out of the wreckage. The creature hit Icon hard with a piece of a still girder which sent him flying backward, crashing hard into the side of a building across the street.

With Icon down, Endgame bounded away further into the city.

***

Endgame marched down Sherman Boulevard tossing cars aside as he goes, panicked citizens scattering to get out of harm's way. Suddenly, a gust of wind ripped through the boulevard as Icon soared past the creature, then came down, landing in a half crouch then slowing rising as he stood between the creature and the terrified civilians.

The creature looked at Icon, and a grim smile crossed his face as he took off at a run, heading straight for the hero. Icon left his feet, accelerating toward Endgame staying close to the ground, flying at about waist level. Icon and the creature came together, Icon gripping the monster and taking him off his feet, heading toward the sky. However, this time Icon rammed Endgame through the side of one of the nearby skyscrapers. As they ripped through the office building, Icon continued pounding away at the beast's face even as they burst through the opposite wall of the building and emerging in the sky on the other side. The two fought even as chunks of bricks and other debris rained down on the streets below.

Endgame pushed away from Icon, getting a slight separation from the hero, and then swung at him with a wild punch, which Icon easily ducked. Icon returned the favor, delivering a hard right hand which sent Endgame crashing through one side of a building on the other side of the street and out of the other. The creature landed hard on the street, creating a large crater from the impact. Within an instant, Icon was standing at the foot of the crater, and watched in amazement as Endgame got back to his feet.

Eric and Keira sat in front of the big screen TV located at the bar inside The Hub watching in a stunned silence as their friend did battle with a fearsome monster that has left a trail of death and destruction in its wake.

Over the years, she has seen him take on so many superpowered enemies, super villains that were so powerful that it seemed like it would take a miracle for anyone to stop them...but he had always been that miracle. Somehow she always knew that he would come through in the end. Even during the alien invasion that had claimed the lives of so many people...including her best friend...his girlfriend....she somehow knew that he would find a way.

And he always did.

But there was something different about this one. This monster seemed unstoppable and had already beaten him far worse than anything she had ever seen before.

She was afraid.

She may have feared for herself, but most of her fear was for him...her best friend, her lover...

As she and Eric sat in an uncomfortable silence watching as their friend was in the fight of his life, she silently hoped that he would be able to overcome this creature, yet she could not shake the feeling that nothing would ever be the same.

Free from Icon, the creature Endgame found himself in a free-fall toward Lost Haven. As the creature fell, he adjusted his course slightly, and found himself on a collision course with Lost Haven's Central Island, the hub of daily life for the great metropolis. As the creature neared the ground, his descent began to slow, to the point where it was a gradual descent rather than an out of control free fall. However, before Endgame was able to land, Icon swooped in, ramming the beast's abdomen and wrapping his arms around it. With the creature in his grasp, Icon accelerated his speed while maintaining a low altitude, then he immediately pulled back, while letting go of the monster, sending the beast crashing hard into an abandoned warehouse.

The derelict building groaned with the force of the impact, finally heaving to once side and then collapsing on top of the monster. Icon did not hesitate, he made his way for the collapsed building hoping to keep the upper hand on the beast, however, as he landed near the rubble, there was an explosion of debris as Endgame forced his way out of the wreckage. The creature hit Icon hard with a piece of a still girder which sent him flying backward, crashing hard into the side of a building across the street.

With Icon down, Endgame bounded away further into the city.

***

Endgame marched down Sherman Boulevard tossing cars aside as he goes, panicked citizens scattering to get out of harm's way. Suddenly, a gust of wind ripped through the boulevard as Icon soared past the creature, then came down, landing in a half crouch then slowing rising as he stood between the creature and the terrified civilians.

The creature looked at Icon, and a grim smile crossed his face as he took off at a run, heading straight for the hero. Icon left his feet, accelerating toward Endgame staying close to the ground, flying at about waist level. Icon and the creature came together, Icon gripping the monster and taking him off his feet, heading toward the sky. However, this time Icon rammed Endgame through the side of one of the nearby skyscrapers. As they ripped through the office building, Icon continued pounding away at the beast's face even as they burst through the opposite wall of the building and emerging in the sky on the other side. The two fought even as chunks of bricks and other debris rained down on the streets below.

Endgame pushed away from Icon, getting a slight separation from the hero, and then swung at him with a wild punch, which Icon easily ducked. Icon returned the favor, delivering a hard right hand which sent Endgame crashing through one side of a building on the other side of the street and out of the other. The creature landed hard on the street, creating a large crater from the impact. Within an instant, Icon was standing at the foot of the crater, and watched in amazement as Endgame got back to his feet.

Endgame rolled to his feet and hit Icon with a shot that stuns the hero. He then grabbed Icon by the shoulder and threw him against the side of the building. Icon hit with a sickening thud as the impact cracked the brick wall. Icon lay on the ground dazed and gasping for breath as the creature's assault had knocked the wind out of him. The creature grabbed Icon by the nape of the neck and lifted him in the air. Endgame held Icon out in front of him with one hand, as he reached back with his other arm, then brought it forward, hitting Icon with a devastating punch square in the face. He then reached back to hit the hero again, but Icon unleashed a massive optic blast that sent Endgame tumbling back down the street.

Blood ran down his face as he moved toward Endgame. The energy blast had seemed to finally hurt the creature, as this time Endgame was slower in getting to his feet. Icon charged the monster, hitting him with a series of punches that knocked the beast back, nearly taking him off his feet. Icon wound up and threw a wild right had but the creature was able to block it mostly with his shoulder. He fired back at Icon, hitting him with a hard right hand, then followed it up with a hard kick to his midsection that sent Icon crashing into the side of an overturned pickup truck.

Icon struggled to get to his feet even as Endgame approached. Icon tried to fight the creature off, but Endgame was able to block his attempts at offense, hitting Icon with a shot that sent the hero crashing over the wrecked truck, landing in a heap on the other side.

"I...Icon." The creature said in an inhuman voice as it reached down an picked Icon up off the ground.

"Stop fighting me."He continued as the bony spines shot out of his fist. He then delivered a massive uppercut, the spines puncturing Icon's flesh as they dig into his stomach.

Eve begins to smirk. Sadly though no one can tell but she is now doing this for her own satisfaction.

Eve looks at The Black Hole and says, "Neither do I. I have noticed something about you. You've got a grudge against the guardians and I don't know the full story behind it either."

She begins circling and says, "All that being said you are holding back. You are scared of yourself and that if you lose control you could injury innocent people."

Eve shapeshifts into various people in the crowd at a rapid rate and then settling back into the Black Hole and says, "You don't know the full extent of your power and if you do cut lose and use my power against me who knows what kind of damage you can do to them? Are they worth the risk? Can you handle innocent blood on your hands?"

I relax while she circles me, relaxing only so that I can move easier, move fluidly, less rigid. Its kind of unnerving just what she seems capable of. Shapeshifting, and apparently some kind of power that would be devastating here if not used properly.

"It's not much of a story to tell." I never take my eyes off of her, or might the female form be only some kind of disguise? Something that would allow the true form to perhaps pass through a crowd unrecognized. Or with gender malable assumedy, would it be an it? But thats not the point, right now there's a fight. "But ''Guardians'' isnt broad enough a term!" I lash out with kicks and moves barrowed from various combat styles. Jeet Kun Do, Wushu and Southern Dragon Kung Fu. She doesnt think I can take blood on my hands?...Maybe I can't. But until Im there I aint sayin no. And she doesnt even know what my powers are, some kind of educated guess, but its still far off. I can do things I would say are a little more devastating. And her not knowing only plays to my advantage. I draw my fist back and push it forward with everything I've got. Did I mention the firefight going on around us, yea, there's bullets whizzing through the air that I was fighting my instincts to avoid. I took a few, but the matter and energy I absorbed when I felt the first sharp alerts of pain happen given me more juice to use. It isnt much, hell its not really enough to actually call it juice, a generator, electric or radioactive would be better suited for "juicing" up. Then I'd be dangerous.

D walks back towards the chaos in the streets. But it's a chaos that is dwindling. An in his favor.

"Status, Bobby," he orders over the radio.

"We're starting to mop things up now. Still some holdouts, but it looks like fighting metas on the inside, and use out here, was too much for them."
"Good job. Casualites?"
"No firm number yet, but...yeah."

This doesn't sit well with D, but wasn't unexpected. He could only hope it wasn't too serious.

"Did you hear?" A loud voice says from a short distance away. D turns to look, seeing a trio of metas take down a small group of Alex's holdouts."That Icon has his hands full?"

Icon found himself on his hands and knees before the creature, blood beginning to pour from the wound in his stomach. Then, with everything he had he brought his fists together in a double axe handle and hit the creature on the butt of the jaw, sending the creature off his feet crashing hard to the ground.

"I...I'll never stop fighting you." Icon says as he struggles to get to his feet while the blood from his wound drips on the ground in front of his feet.

"I didn't think you would. That's what I've always loved about you, you've always been so predictable." Endgame responded as he got to his feet.

"What do you want, Endgame?"

"At first, I wanted the same thing I've always wanted, you and the rest of your kind to be wiped from the face of the Earth. When I woke up in that lab."

"At first? What changed?" Icon asked, half sarcastically.

"When I first woke up in that lab, I only wanted to kill...every single thing that I came across. I didn't know where I was, or who I was...but something was drawing me here. It took awhile, but the closer I got to Lost Haven, the more things began coming back to me. At first I saw them as images, pictures in my mind. But then I started to remember...Everything. I remembered everything about me...who I was, what I did...my mission." Endgame said pausing as if contemplating something. "But then I realized that I had been wrong my entire life."

"About what?"

"Everything. I thought that your kind was a threat to humanity, and that those like you had to be stopped at any cost. I always believed that humanity was worth saving. But I was wrong. Humans are evil in nature, they're a stain on the universe...They're a parasitic species who destroy everything that they set their eyes on, and they don't deserve to survive. And I have the power to see that they don't." He continued as he again began to pound on Icon.

Endgame lifted Icon to his feet, however before he could do anything else, the hero unleashed on the creature with a series of blows that rocked Endgame, and the creature fought back. The two combatants exchanged blows in the middle of the street, the force of the impacts so great that the windows in the buildings above them shattered, raining glass down on the street. Icon fought with everything he had, but his injuries proved to be too great, and Endgame was able to get the better of him. Endgame reached out, grabbing Icon by the throat, lifting him up high into the air and slamming the hero into the ground.

Endgame looks down at Icon, placing his massive foot on the downed hero's chest.

"When I'm done, there will be nothing left...humanity and this entire planet will be cleansed from the universe." He said as he left Icon laying on the ground, while he ascended to the skies about the city.

Icon lay on the pavement as Endgame hovered above the city. The creature closed his eyes and concentrated, and in a matter of moments the sky behind him began to twist and churn. Endgame focused his energies and something that could only be described as a tear in the very fabric of reality opened behind him. The tear began to extend and take form, looking more and more like a large wormhole in the sky. The sky continued churning as a massive amount of lightening like energy began pouring from the hole.

Icon forced himself to his feet and was about to go after Endgame when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and found himself looking into the eyes of Starlight, who was joined by Michael, Flux and Piston. There was no mistaking the looks on their faces...Icon had gone through hell to stop Endgame, and up to that point he had been unsuccessful.

"Get out of my way." Icon said to his friends as he looked up to the sky where Endgame continued to conjure his hellish maelstrom.

"You've done you're part Icon, let us handle the rest." Piston said.

"You need to rest, we can finish this." Michael urged him.

"No, I have to see this through. Kayla...if anything happens to me...make sure you tell Keira that I love her." He said clutching his stomach, noting the fear in Starlight's eyes as she say the blood pouring from the wound."I will." She said in little more than a whisper.

With that Icon took to the skies racing toward Endgame. He dug down deep and unleashed another barrage of a sustained optic blast, hammering the creature with everything that he had. As Icon pressed his attack, Endgame roared in anger and frustration even as he returned fire with an optic blast of his own.

"Why won't you die?" Endgame cried as Icon closed in on him.

As Icon approached Endgame, the energy from within the wormhole extended outward, enveloping Icon, each bolt assaulting him with the power of ten lightening strikes. Yet still he pushed toward the creature responsible for so much destruction. Icon continued assaulting the creature with an optic blast as he got into arm's length of him. Endgame swung wildly, but Icon drove both his fists into the creature's chest knocking him backward. Endgame let out a gutteral growl as the suction of the wormhole began pulling at him, drawing him closer to oblivion.

"You've caused so much death and destruction, and for what?" Icon shouts, his voice barely audible over the maelstrom.

"I'm drawing the line right now, this ends now Endgame! I'm putting an end to you here and now!" He said as he hammered Endgame with a thunderous right hand that sent the creature through the wormhole. There was a massive blast of energy from within the rift, and then it collapsed in on itself.

With the wormhole closed, Icon finally had no more to give. He closed his eyes and began to fall back toward the earth. As he fell, a million things ran through his mind. He thought of his friends, particularly Eric and how over the years he had kept the secret of his dual identity. He thought about Keira, and how since Lisa died during the invasion, she had kept him grounded...and more importantly he thought of how much he had grown to love her.

He thought of his family, and how they had stood by him even though he had made mistakes along the way. He thought of his sister Jenny, and how much he missed her...and he thought of his brother Brandon, and how the rift between them had bothered him for so long...and he regretted that he had never been able to put things right between them.

***

Starlight and the others watched in horror as they watched Icon fall from the sky. Starlight had expected him to alter his course and soar over the city like he has done so many times, but he did not. Instead, he continued falling until he crash landed the length of several football fields away. They raced over to where he landed, and found him laying unnaturally still inside of the massive crater that had been created upon impact. Starlight looked down at the man who had become her friend in total shock. She never thought that she would see the day when he looked so vulnerable.

She raced to his side, and kneeling beside him she cradled his head in her arms. As she held him, she was shocked by the amount of blood that he had lost. His shredded blue and sliver costume had turned crimson due to the blood that was oozing from his stomach wound.

"Oh Scott..." She started, unable to finish her thought.

"I...I did it. I stopped him." Icon said weakly, barely more than a whisper.

"You did, you did good Scott." She said as the tears streamed down her face.

As he lay cradled in her arms, he took a pair of deep breaths and then his body finally gave in to succumbed to his injuries. His head rolled back slightly and then his body relaxed.

None of them had ever thought that anything bad could really happen to him, he was their leader, their friend. But above all, he was Icon, the best among them. But now he was gone, cut down while protecting not only the city that he loved, but the entire world. If there was one thing that they knew, it was that with his passing, they did not know what would come next, but they knew that nothing would ever be the same.

The afternoon sun sets shining orange light across an office building not unlike any other. A drip hydroponic system waters the rose bushes planted around the base of the building and the odd man or woman wearing office attire and lanyards with ID cards hanging from their necks stroll through the snapping automatic jaws on the ground floor before swiping their ID cards to get through a turnstile. Mundane routine, and it could have been any office building. Hiding in plain sight, a powerful organization… too powerful… helmed by a whackjob with a grudge.

Not for much longer…

Calloused fingers protrude through a manhole cover.

This is how it happens. This is how power shifts…

The manhole cover slides over a foot.

A people try to reclaim their liberty. Their freedom. Their right to exist…

8 identically yellow clothed men flow out of the sewer, like the undesirable overflow of a blocked toilet. A worrisomely accurate metaphor, given their recent social state.

F*** your genocide. The revolution is now!

The 8 men are joined by a dozen more. Dozens more. They begin accosting people who attempt to get into the building. Others pick up stones and hurl them at the windows on the higher floors.

S***… I hope they don’t kill anyone…

After what felt like minutes, but was probably barely one they are met by force. Men in black dressed like soldiers armed with dartguns.

That would be worrisome…

Forming a line they set for attack, in a 3 row formation resembling the redshirts of colonial times. A tactic made necessary by the single-shot/re-load capabilities of their arms.

…if I hadn't already planned for it.

The yellow men duck to one side and then suddenly disappear, fading into nothingness, leaving only a single object in their wake. A flash-bang grenade.

They wanted me to give them a real one… You wouldn’t believe how hard it was to talk them out of that one…

BANG!

The yellow men appear once more from nothingness and begin beating the stuffing out of the S.T.R.I.K.E field agents. Outnumbered 3 or 4 to one, (it’s hard to keep track) they pummel them into submission. Other S.T.R.I.K.E agents drop to their knees howling and palming their eyes and ears.

A field leader sees it. He doesn’t completely understand what’s just happened, but he knows enough to make the call.

“Fall back!” He calls in directly to Anderson upstairs, explaining what he just saw. Before dropping to the floor in pain.

That's enough! I'm in! Get out now! Before the tide turns!

The yellow wave continued to wash over them, but the screams had stopped.

I said enough! Get out! Get him out now!

The response fills my head as the words rattle around, echoing and ricocheting between my ears. I'll never get used to it. I'm trying! He won't listen to me!

Shut him down! Shut him down now! It's for your own good. They know they're not real. It's only a matter of time til they find you and stick a dart in you. I'm in, and you'll need as good a head start as you can get. While they're chasing shadows I'll have all the time I need, but you're no good to me dead! Get out now!

An image fills my head of the yellow men dropping to the ground grabbing their heads, they flicker and glimmer and are gone.

Good work. You just saved all three of your lives. Link me up with Blue... Blue, grab his ankles and the pair of you get him out of here until he's back on his feet. Go fast and go deep. Don't go back home, find somewhere away from the others. Somewhere safe, where you won't put the others at risk. When he's good again, tell him how helpful he was... He made this happen. You all did.

* * * * *

Here I am again... another ventilation shaft. I'm starting to get comfortable in these, hell I keep this lifestyle up I might wind up with agoraphobia. Rode on top of a lift, squeezing through ducts. Bouncing off of obstacles through chutes like a pinball. This life of mine. Didn't take too long to find. The big majestic office on the top floor. A powerful man scared of power in others, so he wields it. He flaunts his power and the authority it brings, lest others question it.

Next room over, must be absolutely silent now. More than ever I test the ducting beneath to be sure it won't creak or moan under my weight.

Soundlessly I slide through the ducting. I'm over the room now, I carefully shift my weight so I'm looking through a vent. He's here. But so is someone else that I can see. I need him alone. Waiting is torturous. I listen intently.

Anderson was closer and walking nearer as well. The other reporting agent followed.

"They can't be far off. It's not a power that can be used effectively long range. They're on the grounds. Find them. This can't be allowed to stand. Not now. Not so near to the end."

"Yes, sir."

The agent turned to carry out the Director's orders. Anderson rubbed his chin considering the situation.

"Howe?"

"Yes, sir?"

"It occurs to me this could just have been a distraction. Have the remaining men not tracking the insurgents search the building."

"Sir. Yes, sir."

"Howe" snapped his heels and cracked a salute, clear military background that one, before leaving the room.

Anderson paces the room, still I wait. I don't have a clear view of the whole room, I give time for anyone who may be there to approach him. Turns out I needn't have bothered... Anderson stops still in the room and utters a single phrase which hangs in the empty air...

"You're already here, aren't you?"

__________________
[/JOKE]

16,18, not much difference mentally or physically. It's a number over there. Here however it's the difference between mid life crisis with hot chicks with daddy issues and pound me in the ass prison. - Anubis

More Anubis' greatest hits:
"Families are Gods way of teaching us to get along with people we don't particularly like."

The afternoon sun sets shining orange light across an office building not unlike any other. A drip hydroponic system waters the rose bushes planted around the base of the building and the odd man or woman wearing office attire and lanyards with ID cards hanging from their necks stroll through the snapping automatic jaws on the ground floor before swiping their ID cards to get through a turnstile. Mundane routine, and it could have been any office building. Hiding in plain sight, a powerful organization… too powerful… helmed by a whackjob with a grudge.

Not for much longer…

Calloused fingers protrude through a manhole cover.

This is how it happens. This is how power shifts…

The manhole cover slides over a foot.

A people try to reclaim their liberty. Their freedom. Their right to exist…

8 identically yellow clothed men flow out of the sewer, like the undesirable overflow of a blocked toilet. A worrisomely accurate metaphor, given their recent social state.

F*** your genocide. The revolution is now!

The 8 men are joined by a dozen more. Dozens more. They begin accosting people who attempt to get into the building. Others pick up stones and hurl them at the windows on the higher floors.

S***… I hope they don’t kill anyone…

After what felt like minutes, but was probably barely one they are met by force. Men in black dressed like soldiers armed with dartguns.

That would be worrisome…

Forming a line they set for attack, in a 3 row formation resembling the redshirts of colonial times. A tactic made necessary by the single-shot/re-load capabilities of their arms.

…if I hadn't already planned for it.

The yellow men duck to one side and then suddenly disappear, fading into nothingness, leaving only a single object in their wake. A flash-bang grenade.

They wanted me to give them a real one… You wouldn’t believe how hard it was to talk them out of that one…

BANG!

The yellow men appear once more from nothingness and begin beating the stuffing out of the S.T.R.I.K.E field agents. Outnumbered 3 or 4 to one, (it’s hard to keep track) they pummel them into submission. Other S.T.R.I.K.E agents drop to their knees howling and palming their eyes and ears.

A field leader sees it. He doesn’t completely understand what’s just happened, but he knows enough to make the call.

“Fall back!” He calls in directly to Anderson upstairs, explaining what he just saw. Before dropping to the floor in pain.

That's enough! I'm in! Get out now! Before the tide turns!

The yellow wave continued to wash over them, but the screams had stopped.

I said enough! Get out! Get him out now!

The response fills my head as the words rattle around, echoing and ricocheting between my ears. I'll never get used to it. I'm trying! He won't listen to me!

Shut him down! Shut him down now! It's for your own good. They know they're not real. It's only a matter of time til they find you and stick a dart in you. I'm in, and you'll need as good a head start as you can get. While they're chasing shadows I'll have all the time I need, but you're no good to me dead! Get out now!

An image fills my head of the yellow men dropping to the ground grabbing their heads, they flicker and glimmer and are gone.

Good work. You just saved all three of your lives. Link me up with Blue... Blue, grab his ankles and the pair of you get him out of here until he's back on his feet. Go fast and go deep. Don't go back home, find somewhere away from the others. Somewhere safe, where you won't put the others at risk. When he's good again, tell him how helpful he was... He made this happen. You all did.

* * * * *

Here I am again... another ventilation shaft. I'm starting to get comfortable in these, hell I keep this lifestyle up I might wind up with agoraphobia. Rode on top of a lift, squeezing through ducts. Bouncing off of obstacles through chutes like a pinball. This life of mine. Didn't take too long to find. The big majestic office on the top floor. A powerful man scared of power in others, so he wields it. He flaunts his power and the authority it brings, lest others question it.

Next room over, must be absolutely silent now. More than ever I test the ducting beneath to be sure it won't creak or moan under my weight.

Soundlessly I slide through the ducting. I'm over the room now, I carefully shift my weight so I'm looking through a vent. He's here. But so is someone else that I can see. I need him alone. Waiting is torturous. I listen intently.

Anderson was closer and walking nearer as well. The other reporting agent followed.

"They can't be far off. It's not a power that can be used effectively long range. They're on the grounds. Find them. This can't be allowed to stand. Not now. Not so near to the end."

"Yes, sir."

The agent turned to carry out the Director's orders. Anderson rubbed his chin considering the situation.

"Howe?"

"Yes, sir?"

"It occurs to me this could just have been a distraction. Have the remaining men not tracking the insurgents search the building."

"Sir. Yes, sir."

"Howe" snapped his heels and cracked a salute, clear military background that one, before leaving the room.

Anderson paces the room, still I wait. I don't have a clear view of the whole room, I give time for anyone who may be there to approach him. Turns out I needn't have bothered... Anderson stops still in the room and utters a single phrase which hangs in the empty air...

"You're already here, aren't you?"

He didn't know what made him say that, it was just a feeling...a feeling that he wasn't alone. He looked around the room, not seeing anything out of the ordinary, then his eyes came to a rest on the air vent in the corner of the room.

Anderson was big. Far bigger than himself. The guy was built like an NFL linebacker... or possibly a fork lift truck, and completely dwarfed the former amateur middleweight.

"And here I was thinking I'd been so quiet..."

__________________
[/JOKE]

16,18, not much difference mentally or physically. It's a number over there. Here however it's the difference between mid life crisis with hot chicks with daddy issues and pound me in the ass prison. - Anubis

More Anubis' greatest hits:
"Families are Gods way of teaching us to get along with people we don't particularly like."